What cookies are and why you might want to delete them
Cookies are small files that websites store on your computer or phone. When you visit a site, it can save information about you — what you looked at, what you searched for, whether you logged in. The next time you visit, the site reads that cookie file and remembers you.
Most cookies are harmless. They let you stay logged into email without typing your password every time, or they remember items in your shopping cart. But some cookies track you across multiple websites to build a profile of your browsing habits, which advertisers then buy. Deleting cookies removes that stored information and stops some (though not all) of that tracking.
You might delete cookies if you share a computer with someone else and don't want them to see your login information, if you want to clear out old tracking data, or if a website is behaving strangely and you suspect a corrupted cookie is the cause.
Key Takeaways
- Deleting cookies clears login information, browsing history tied to websites, and some tracking data, but does not make you anonymous online.
- The steps differ by browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge each have their own menu path and naming.
- You can delete all cookies at once or set your browser to delete them automatically when you close it.
- Deleting cookies will log you out of most websites, so you will need to log back in afterward.
- Cookies are not the only way websites track you; deleting them does not stop all tracking.
How to delete cookies in Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select "Settings" from the menu. On the left side, click "Privacy and security," then click "Clear browsing data."
A window will appear. Make sure the time range at the top is set to what you want — "All time" deletes everything, "Last hour" deletes only recent cookies, or you can pick a custom date range. Check the box next to "Cookies and other site data." You can leave other boxes unchecked if you only want to delete cookies. Click "Clear data" at the bottom right.
If you want Chrome to delete cookies automatically every time you close the browser, go back to Settings, click "Privacy and security," then "Clear browsing data." Toggle on "Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome."
How to delete cookies in Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top right corner. Click "Settings," then select "Privacy & Security" on the left. Under "Cookies and Site Data," click "Clear Data."
A small window opens. Make sure "Cookies and Site Data" is checked. You can also check "Cached Web Content" if you want to clear temporary files websites store. Click "Clear" to delete them when ready.
To delete cookies automatically when you close Firefox, stay in the Privacy & Security settings. Find the "Cookies and Site Data" section and check the box that says "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed." Firefox will then clear them every time you shut down the browser.
How to delete cookies in Safari
Open Safari and click "Safari" in the menu bar at the very top of your screen. Click "Settings" (or "Preferences" on older Macs). Click the "Privacy" tab.
Click "Manage Website Data" to see a list of all websites that have stored cookies on your device. You can click on individual sites and click "Remove" to delete only their cookies, or click "Remove All" to delete everything at once. Click "Done" when finished.
Safari does not have a built-in option to delete cookies automatically on close, but you can set it to block cookies from third-party websites by default. In the Privacy tab, check "Prevent cross-site tracking." This stops many tracking cookies while keeping login cookies from sites you visit directly.
How to delete cookies in Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Click "Settings," then select "Privacy, search, and services" on the left. Under "Clear browsing data," click "Choose what to clear."
A window appears. Set the time range at the top — "All time" clears everything, or pick a specific range. Check the box next to "Cookies and other site data." Click "Clear now."
To delete cookies automatically when you close Edge, go back to Settings and Privacy, search, and services. Toggle on "Clear browsing data" and then toggle on "Choose what to clear every time you close the browser." A new section appears where you can check "Cookies and other site data" so Edge clears them on every close.
What happens after you delete cookies
You will be logged out of most websites. The next time you visit a site where you had an account, you will need to log in again. Websites will not remember your preferences — if a site had a dark mode setting you turned on, it will go back to light mode.
Websites may also load slightly slower the first time you visit them after deleting cookies, because they have to read more information instead of reading it from the stored cookie file. This slowdown is usually not noticeable.
Deleting cookies does not delete your browsing history, does not hide your IP address from your internet provider, and does not stop websites from tracking you through other methods like fingerprinting (where a site identifies you based on your browser settings and device type). It is one privacy step among several, not a complete solution.
When to delete cookies and when not to
Delete cookies if you share a computer with others and want to remove your login information, if you notice a website behaving oddly and suspect a corrupted cookie, or if you want to clear out old tracking data. Deleting them regularly (weekly or monthly) reduces the amount of tracking data advertisers can collect about you, though it does not eliminate it.
Do not delete cookies if you rely on them to stay logged into important accounts — you will have to log back in every time. If you use a personal device that nobody else touches, deleting cookies frequently offers limited privacy benefit and mostly just creates inconvenience. In that case, blocking third-party cookies (which most browsers now do by default) is usually enough.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting cookies make me anonymous online?
No. Deleting cookies removes one tracking method, but websites can still identify you through your IP address, login accounts, and browser fingerprinting. Your internet provider can still see which sites you visit. Deleting cookies is a privacy step, not anonymity.
Do I need to delete cookies if my browser already blocks third-party cookies?
Not necessarily. Most modern browsers block third-party tracking cookies by default, which stops much of the cross-site tracking. Deleting first-party cookies (the ones the site itself creates) is mainly useful if you share a device or want to remove old login information.
What is the difference between deleting cookies and clearing browsing history?
Browsing history is the list of websites you visited — it lives in your browser's history menu. Cookies are files websites store on your device. Deleting history removes your list of visited sites; deleting cookies removes the data those sites stored. You can do either one without doing the other.
If I delete cookies, will websites know I deleted them?
No. Websites cannot tell whether you deleted cookies. They will straightforward notice that the next time you visit, the cookie file is not there, and they will create a new one.
Can I delete cookies from just one website instead of all of them?
Yes. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, you can go to the cookie management section and search for or select individual websites to delete. Safari's "Manage Website Data" feature lets you click individual sites and remove them one at a time.